The Maiden Hunters
by Radio Catastrophe
Summary: Previously published as The Hunters of the Maidens on RWBY Amino, this dark (and relatively short) story follows a group of four individuals who have teamed up to find, kill, and steal the powers of the Winter Maiden. Vio Tsepesh, Gin Barker, Album Ceades III, and Aima Komissa are The Maiden Hunters.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: _This story has been previously published as The Hunters of the Maidens on RWBY Amino. The cover art was done by I3blacksun, who has given me permission to post it here and can be found on RWBY Amino. I do not own anything borrowed from RWBY, such as the Winter Maiden or the concept of semblances. If I did, this wouldn't be 'fanfiction' but a real sideplot._

* * *

 **The Maiden Hunters: Prologue**

An old man sat at a bar drinking aged whiskey and listening the group behind him tell stories. He stared at the rickety shelves filled with old bottles and wondered if they had been sitting there the last time he was at the inn. That was very long ago, and the inn had changed nearly as much as he had. Back then, the large room was filled with life: hunters and huntresses, local farmers, and even explorers had filled the hall with drunken laughter and songs. A fire had roared in the fireplace that now stood dark and empty. Waitresses dodging catcalls were replaced by a large, somber bartender quietly polishing the scarred counter with an old ran. The man sighed as he remembered his old companions and a hunt that took place long ago.

"Your stories are terrible," he grumbled, silencing the only group of men sitting in the inn's dusty hall.

"We've been saying that for years!" the youngest man in the group laughed, his blond curls bobbing up and down.

"Well I doubt you could do better," the dark-haired story teller stated indignantly. He crossed his strong arms and looked the old man directly in the eye, challenging him. "I've been telling stories since I learned to talk."

The red-head to his left snickered, "You didn't learn to talk till you were twelve!"

"I think it was more like fourteen!" the fourth man exclaimed, jabbing the red-head with his elbow.

"It don't matter," the dark-haired man replied, his complexion reddening. "I've been telling stories my whole life and I doubt an old man like you could do better. I know every story there is to know."

"Every story?" the old man mused, "Then surely you've heard The Maiden Hunters?"

The story teller was silent as he searched his memory, but he came up with nothing. "I-I don't think I know that one," he mumbled.

"No, I guess you wouldn't," the old man replied, scratching at his long beard.

"Can you tell it?" the blonde asked eagerly, "It's been years since I heard a new one."

The old man nodded. But before he could begin, something on the bar caught his eye. A lone firefly had found its way inside and was crawling over the smooth counter towards him. It reminded him of something, but it took a long time for him to figure out what. He frowned, but the firefly didn't seem to notice. The old man lifted his glass and placed it in the firefly's path, but the little bug continued around the wall of glass. The old man's frown deepened as he took out a long, strange looking knife. He placed the tip in front of his opponent, but the firefly did not coward. The man's frown turned into a smirk. He leaned in close, violently sliced the small creature in half, and chuckled to himself. He left the strange knife notched in the wood, still separating the two halves of its lifeless body, and turned back to the men at the table.

They seemed surprised by the old man's actions, but sat silently waiting to hear the story. "Well, go on," the red-head encouraged after another moment of anticipation.

The old man sat up straight on his stool, cocked his head to one side, and began, "The Maiden Hunters is a tragic tale about pain, desire, blood, and a girl..."

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A/N: _So...This is my first ever FanFiction. It feels like life comes around full circle sometimes. I first started reading stories here around 10 years ago (jeeze I remember when people just saying that made them seem old), and now I'm back after 7 years of having a profile..WITH MY OWN STORY! I really never thought the day would come. I would love to get some solid feedback as I am very interested in writing another story, so please leave a review! I have pretty thick skin, so don't worry about holding back._

 _Best, RC_


	2. Fireflies

Disclaimer: _This story has been previously published as The Hunters of the Maidens on RWBY Amino. The cover art was done by I3blacksun, who has given me permission to post it here and can be found on RWBY Amino. I do not own anything borrowed from RWBY, such as the Winter Maiden or the concept of semblances. If I did, this wouldn't be 'fanfiction' but a real sideplot._

* * *

 **The Maiden Hunters: Fireflies**

 _The girl stood in the center of a large field; an ocean of tall grass ebbing in the breeze. The stars twinkling in the sky reflected the firefly's glow. She could not tell where the earth ended and the sky began. This frightened her and made her want to run. But in what direction? There was no moon, no North Star for her to follow. This dilemma kept her frozen in the tide. If she ran, she would surely loose the earth and be set adrift in the starlight forever._

"Aima!" The girl turned and the spell was broken. A boy ran through the field to meet her, "Aima, we've been looking for you!"

"Al," she stated flatly, "I've been here the whole time. Relax."

"Vio and Gin are in the woods. Vio is not very happy," the young man replied, unfazed by her coldness. He was not very tall, nor very broad. While his peers tested their strength on the battle field, he stayed behind to read his books. This was evident in his pasty complexion and slender build, but his most striking feature was the shining, white hair that grazed his shoulders. The vivid cascade contrasted harshly with his stony, black eyes.

"Vio is never happy," the girl replied, turning back to the fireflies. "Let them wait."

Album answered by grabbing her around the waist and holding his scalpel to her throat. "If you don't want to go back, perhaps you'd prefer I dissect you here." His cold fingers grazed her jaw line, "A pretty face like yours, I wonder if you're pretty on the inside as well…"

She turned in his arms, allowing the scalpel to graze her pale neck. "Now that would make Vio very unhappy." She produced a needle and, faster than the frail boy could respond, thrusted it upward, stopping just a millimeter from his right eye. The girl smiled, "If you ever put your hands on me again, I'll take both eyes."

"That would make it rather hard to read, I suppose," Album responded, releasing her and raising his hands in surrender.

The girl rolled her eyes. And with that, she waded back through the tall grass towards the inn. She had had enough of fireflies for one evening.

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A/N: _I had a review from 'key' who was concerned that I didn't understand that the maidens are the 'good guys'. I do understand this, but I have a lot more fun writing from the perspective of the 'bad guys'. In fact, the four main characters of this story were inspired by historical/fictional villains. From this chapter, Album was inspired by Jack the Ripper and Aima was inspired by Elizabeth Bathory. Please feel free to leave a review with any comments and concerns you may have! I have pretty tough skin, so bring it on._

 _Best, RC_


	3. Standing Orders

Disclaimer: _This story has been previously published as The Hunters of the Maidens on RWBY Amino. The cover art was done by I3blacksun, who has given me permission to post it here and can be found on RWBY Amino. I do not own anything borrowed from RWBY, such as the Winter Maiden or the concept of semblances. If I did, this wouldn't be 'fanfiction' but a real sideplot._

* * *

 **The Maiden Hunters: Standing Orders**

The girl returned to the inn. It was warm and bright, welcoming. But she did not feel welcomed. The fire was too hot, the huntsmen too drunk. The air was stale. She bypassed the servers, the tables of rambling drunks, and the large wooden fireplace heating the hall. She retired to her room to await the return of an angry Vio and a drunken Gin.

She was sitting on her small bed, it would be nice after weeks of sleeping in the woods, braiding her long, red hair when Vio barged in. "Aima, how dare you leave at a time like this! What if something were to happen to you?! All of this would be for nothing! Three years—THREE YEARS—we've been searching! And you'd just throw it away! I ought to—"

"Where's Al?" Gin interrupted, calmly entering the small room. The girl shrugged. He shrugged in response and withdrew, returning to the bar to fill up on ale.

"Aima," Vio sighed as he sat next to his niece, "I promised your parents I'd take care of you." He paused and his eyes turned a brilliant shade of violet. The large, dark man seemed less threatening. The bright color of his eyes was almost comical against his tanned skin and black hair. "Aima, you are not to leave without one of us—me, Gin, or Al—by your side." The violet color faded and his eyes returned to their normal shade of steely purple. "It's just too dangerous," Vio added as he left the room.

The girl shivered. She knew what Vio had done. He had been controlling her with this power since she was a young girl. Once she realized that she was being controlled, she began pushing the boundaries of his commands. She knew that only one order could stand at a time, and that more detailed orders were easier to break. It had been a long time since she was given an order, so long that she could no longer remember what the last order was. The girl realized that they were close, very close, to finding the maiden.


	4. Closing In

Disclaimer: _This story has been previously published as The Hunters of the Maidens on RWBY Amino. The cover art was done by I3blacksun, who has given me permission to post it here and can be found on RWBY Amino. I do not own anything borrowed from RWBY, such as the Winter Maiden or the concept of semblances. If I did, this wouldn't be 'fanfiction' but a real sideplot._

* * *

 **Hunters of the Maidens: Closing In**

The girl awoke to someone banging on the door. The sun had not yet risen, and only blackness greeted her tired eyes. She closed them, clinging to the starlit fireflies of her dreams. The room was waiting, cold and damp, to embrace her. If she removed the warm covers that had allowed her to sleep so peacefully, she would be forced to return to reality.

"It's time to get up, sweetheart," Gin's voice forced its way in from the hallway. The girl begrudgingly rolled out of bed and kicked the door once in response. She got herself ready and quickly left the inn. She was happy to be leaving.

As she started out into the down pour, she saw the three men waiting for her at the edge of the woods.

"Nice of you to join us," Gin retorted as the girl approached.

"It is unusual for you to oversleep," Album commented as they began to walk.

"It's unusual for me to sleep in a bed," the girl answered caustically, pulling her collar up to block the rain.

She fell into step beside Gin as they walked, letting Album and Vio trudge ahead. "You okay kid?" Gin asked when they were out of earshot, "I heard Vio got serious with you last night." The girl knew what Gin meant by 'serious'. The tall, scraggly man had known her since she was a child. The two of them had come up with many code words to talk about Vio behind his back.

"I'm fine," she told him, glaring at the back of Vio's head. "We must be getting close."

They continued in silence for most of the day. Gin seemed to be deep in thought, absently scratching the streak of silver dividing his thick, black hair. His matching silver eyes stared far off into the distance, and the girl wondered if he was thinking about his previous encounter with the Winter Maiden. She didn't know the details, but she had overheard once that a maiden killed his wife.

The girl glanced over at the short man. He did not have the hunter training of Vio, or the education of Album, or even the abilities of herself. Gin was a man of pure wrath, and just a sliver of silver love. Perhaps that was why the girl found her spirits lifting.

Eventually, the rain turned to snow and what little light there was faded. Vio stopped and camp was made. The girl found it hard to fall asleep that night. No fireflies came to meet her in her dreams.

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A/N: _If anyone was wondering about the rest of the characters' inspirations, Vio was inspired by Vlad the Impaler and Gin was inspired by Sweeney Todd. I would really appreciate some reviews on what I'm doing right and wrong, this is my first attempt at a fanfic after all. So please leave a review-it could even be a question._

 _Best, RC_


	5. Everfrost

Disclaimer: _This story has been previously published as The Hunters of the Maidens on RWBY Amino. The cover art was done by I3blacksun, who has given me permission to post it here and can be found on RWBY Amino. I do not own anything borrowed from RWBY, such as the Winter Maiden or the concept of semblances. If I did, this wouldn't be 'fanfiction' but a real sideplot._

* * *

 **The Maiden Hunters: Everfrost**

The group continued as normal for three days. As they trekked further north, the girl began to miss the wildlife of the woods: the pitter-patter of small animals running in the trees above, the sight of birds circling their fallen prey. For some reason, everything now seemed to be asleep. Their footsteps echoed in her ears, and a feeling of foreboding fell upon her. She felt as if they might wake a sleeping beast beneath the snow drifts, and the stillness would be broken.

But the stillness endured, along with the silence. On the third day, the woods seemed to change. "This must be the Forest of Everfrost," Album whispered to himself as they walked among the evergreens. The forest seemed to be a single sheet of frosted glass, cracked by green branches drooping under the weight of the ice.

The girl winced as the wind picked up. Snowflakes stuck to her eyelashes and her boots crunched loudly in the snow. The journey through Everfrost was slow going and the girl felt they would never escape the icy woods.

Her nerves were further tested by Album's muttering. He went on endlessly about the climate, season changes, and how impossible it was for it to be winter all year.

"Kid, you have got to shut it," Gin muttered, frowning at his frozen flask. His utter look of despair unlocked something within the girl, and she began to laugh. The three men jumped at the sudden outburst. Album and Vio exchanged confused glances, while Gin smiled and threw the useless ale into the trees. The laughter eased her frustrations. They all continued through Everfrost feeling lighter.

After a few hours of walking, Vio stopped and looked around. "We'll camp here," he stated.

Album glanced up at the sky and adjusted his glasses, "It's hardly dusk."

"What are you planning, Vio?" Gin muttered as he caught up to them.

"There should be a cabin up ahead. According to the pretty server at the inn, a young lady lives there alone, in the middle of Everfrost, with strange powers and ice cold eyes." Vio explained matter-of-factly. Gin's eyes lit up with this information. "Al will go ahead and learn what he can, give her a little case of amnesia, and return to us with the details."

Vio, Album, and Gin discussed the details of their plans, and then Album went on his way. The girl ignored the eager men and began to set up camp. She wanted to leave, explore the strange forest and hunt for some dinner. But every time she thought of leaving, her feet betrayed her and she found herself back at the camp.

Night fell without Album's return. A fire was started and Vio cooked a hot dinner. The girl dreamed of fireflies dancing in the sparks, while Gin and Vio whispered by the fire.

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A/N: _Thank you_ Bomberguy789 _for the awesome review. I think_ most _of your questions will be answered in the following chapters (maybe not_ all, _but we can talk about that another time if you want). Please keep the reviews coming, it's really nice to get some solid feedback!_

 _Best, RC_


	6. Grey

Disclaimer: _This story has been previously published as The Hunters of the Maidens on RWBY Amino. The cover art was done by I3blacksun, who has given me permission to post it here and can be found on RWBY Amino. I do not own anything borrowed from RWBY, such as the Winter Maiden or the concept of semblances. If I did, this wouldn't be 'fanfiction' but a real sideplot._

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 **The Maiden Hunters: Grey**

Album returned the next morning smiling like a Beowulf, and announced that the Winter Maiden had finally been found. As he described her generosity and willingness to trust a stranger, the girl realized that the woman would be an easy target. She knew what the plan would be. Thanks to Album's unique semblance, the maiden would no longer remember him. He would simply show up at her cabin again and lead her straight into a trap. They scoured the forest and discovered a high cliff that would keep the young woman from running. Album left to revisit the maiden, and the others spend the rest of the day preparing.

As dusk fell, everything was in place. The girl waited in a tall evergreen for Album to return with the maiden in tow. The sky was dark, blanketed in clouds. As she waited, snow began to fall. She could see her breath drift upwards and blend in with the sky. The world grew gray around her and she began to grow impatient.

Suddenly, two slender, white figures materialized out of the snow. The first needles left her hand and caught fire in the air. The maiden's eyes grew wide as she lifted her right hand. The snow around the needles seemed to materialize, extinguishing the fire and making them too heavy to remain in the air. Album retreated to the tree line as arrows rained down from the cliff above them. Vio's voice followed them firmly, "Don't move!" The maiden froze as the sound of Gin's dual pistols echoed off of the cliff side. Her eyes searched, but she could not find the source. The bullets would have hit their mark on the small of the woman's back, but the falling snow stuck to the metal casings, slowing them down. One by one the bullets dropped out of the air.

The maiden closed her eyes and three long shards of ice materialized in the air around her. The girl jumped from her perch just in time to evade the projectile flying towards her. Vio slid down the cliff on his heels, easily avoiding his ice shard, and unfolded his bow to produce a long spear. Gin jumped from the snow drift and continued in vain to shoot at the maiden with his dual pistols, narrowly avoiding his own shard of ice.

The girl's heart raced as they closed in on the pale woman from all sides. Vio reached the maiden first, narrowly avoiding more flying shards of ice. He lunged at her, only to find his spear and forearms frozen in place by a wall of crystal-clear ice. The girl kept her distance, watching, waiting for an opening as Gin charged the woman with his transformed weapons. Razors shining, he successfully avoided the shards and wall of ice that took out Vio, but was hit on the head by a heavy ball of snow from above. As he fell, a long ice shard lodged itself in his torso and his aura was depleted. A second shard materialized over his head as Vio shouted in desperation, "No more ice!"

The girl rolled her eyes at his rash orders and the maiden did not miss a beat. She turned quickly to face Gin and stabbed him through the chest with a shining, glass dagger. Gin stared up at the pale woman, and then through her, and then fell limply into the snow. The girl felt her heart lodge itself in her throat and she struggled to breath. The world fell quiet, even quieter that their hike through Everfrost. She turned to Vio, only to see her uncle screaming silently and kicking at the ice wall that held him in place. The maiden had a similar look of horror in her eyes as she dropped her dagger and stumbled backwards.

Suddenly, the screams of her uncle reached the girls ears and she was able to take a deep breath. She took advantage of the maiden's shock by using her flaming the needles to free Vio as Gin's body settled into the snow. The moment Vio was free, he leaped towards the maiden in anger with his spear held high. The girl shoved him out of the way as another snow ball accumulated over his head. She took the full impact of the attack and was hit by the follow-up strikes from the maiden's new daggers. She stayed close, distracting the maiden while Vio regained his composure. She was getting tired, her needles were easily deflected by the furry of snow and wind that had picked up around the them, and the daggers' strikes were starting to slice her skin. She felt as if the heat was getting sucked right out of her body.

She was in trouble.

They were all in trouble.


	7. Crimson

Disclaimer: _This story has been previously published as The Hunters of the Maidens on RWBY Amino. The cover art was done by I3blacksun, who has given me permission to post it here and can be found on RWBY Amino. I do not own anything borrowed from RWBY, such as the Winter Maiden or the concept of semblances. If I did, this wouldn't be 'fanfiction' but a real sideplot._

* * *

 **The Maiden Hunters: Crimson**

The girl struggled with the maiden, trying hopelessly to break her defenses. Her aura was depleting and her body was exhausted. Finally, Vio charged the maiden and pushed the girl behind him. 'Gin!' he shouted to her over the howl of the wind. The girl ran to Gin's fallen body. He was still clinging to life. When he saw the girl's face, he smiled; but fear danced in his silver eyes. The girl gently covered his eyes before plunging her hand deep into the angry man's wound. She absorbed the nutrients and energy from his blood, recharging her aura and healing her wounds. The girl felt stronger than she ever had. She coated her face, neck, and hands in his blood before leaving his dead body to rejoin the fight.

Vio was in bad shape as well. When he saw that she was ready, he gave her his final order, "Aima, kill this woman!" The girl could barely hear the words, but it didn't matter. Nothing mattered but killing the Winter Maiden.

She ran directly at the maiden, taking every attack thrown at her. When she was close enough, she threw three needles. The first narrowly missed the maiden's eye as the pale woman turned perilously to avoid it. The second planted itself deep into the woman's lower back. She collapsed, paralyzed by the needle.

That is when the world began to slow. Severely wounded, the girl could not stop. She jumped on the maiden's body and plunged a single needle deep into her left eye, killing her instantly. At that moment, the third needle reached the end of its journey. The girl felt freedom for the first time since she was put into the custody of her uncle. The third needle planted itself directly into Vio's voice box.

Aura depleted and mortally wounded, Vio fell. The girl felt the maiden's power surge into her as she crawled towards Vio's mangled body, reaching hopelessly for his healing blood.

She was too weak; his body was too far. She wouldn't make it.


	8. Fireflies Reprise

Disclaimer: _This story has been previously published as The Hunters of the Maidens on RWBY Amino. The cover art was done by I3blacksun, who has given me permission to post it here and can be found on RWBY Amino. I do not own anything borrowed from RWBY, such as the Winter Maiden or the concept of semblances. If I did, this wouldn't be 'fanfiction' but a real sideplot._

* * *

 **The Maiden Hunters: Fireflies Reprise**

The boy witnessed the death of Gin, Vio, and the Winter Maiden from the safety of the tree line. When the battle was over, he ran to Vio's body. He dragged the dead man across the clearing and slit his throat, allowing the blood to flow over Aima's mangled body.

"A-Al?" she croaked, gaining strength from her uncle's blood. "Al, it's too late. I-I can't heal..." She trailed off and her eyes rolled back.

"No!" the boy yelled in frustration. "You have to hold on!" he told her as he took out a scalpel. He began to carefully cut the girl open, starting at her chest and slicing all the way down to her slender waist. To his surprise, he found that Aima's heart was glowing with a blinding white light. She moaned as Vio's wound began to dry.

"Not yet, I need more time," the boy mumbled as he continued to work. He used his scalpel to cut his own hand, allowing the blood to drip into Aima's wounds. But it was not enough, he saw that Aima would die. As she gazed up at the sky, her whole body tensed in agony, the clouds seemed to pass. The twinkling stars reminded her of a distant memory, of an ocean of grass. The boy noticed the white light fading from around her heart. The fireflies, Aima remembered as she began to swim in the sky. She had lost her footing, she thought, and was set adrift among the stars.

Aima's body suddenly relaxed, and the light around her heart faded completely.

Calmly, the boy wrapped his wound with a ribbon from Aima's dress, got up, and began his journey back to the inn. That was it, his one chance to understand the maiden's powers, and it slipped right through his blood soaked fingers. He would never have another chance to find the answers he sought.

"But at least I'm not dead," he muttered as he passed Gin's body, "Maybe I'll have a drink for you."

As he walked back through the Forest of Everfrost, the boy noticed fireflies dancing in the evergreens. It looked like a forest of Christmas trees lit up with hundreds of fairy lights. The fireflies looked welcoming, but the boy did not feel welcomed. He was too warm, their lights were too bright, and the lovely red of the blood on his clothes was drying into an ugly brown.

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A/N: _Thank you_ Bomberguy789 _for all of the awesome reviews! This is the last chapter, besides the epilogue. I may come back to this story and make it longer, but I also have an idea for another RWBY story that has the potential to be significantly longer as I write it, so you can look forward to that._

 _Best, RC_


	9. Epilogue

Disclaimer: _This story has been previously published as The Hunters of the Maidens on RWBY Amino. The cover art was done by I3blacksun, who has given me permission to post it here and can be found on RWBY Amino. I do not own anything borrowed from RWBY, such as the Winter Maiden or the concept of semblances. If I did, this wouldn't be 'fanfiction' but a real sideplot._

* * *

 **The Maiden Hunters: Fireflies Reprise**

"And that ends the story of Vio Tsepesh, Gin Barker, Album Ceades III, and Aima Komissa. The Maiden Hunters," the old man concluded. As he peered around the dusty room, he saw that the men at the table had been listening intently. Their dinner sat cold and forgotten on the large, wooden table in front of them, and they didn't seem to realize that the story had ended.

The old man turned back to the bar to return to his drink, and found that the large, somber bartender had been engrossed in the story as well. He was leaning on the half-polished counter with an old rag hanging limply in his right hand. The old man lifted his drink, finished it, and set the empty glass back down on the counter. The noise seemed to echo throughout the hall, waking the enchanted men.

"That can't be the end!" the blonde exclaimed when his wits had fully returned. "What happened to Album?"

"He killed himself you dolt!" the red-headed man signaled for the bartender to get him another drink.

"No he didn't," the dark-haired storyteller stated softly, "He was too selfish for that. He probably lived out the rest of his days looking for answers."

"He probably died trying to catch another maiden!" the fourth man chimed in.

"What do you think happened?" the blonde asked the bartender as he brought over enough whiskey for everyone at the table.

The large man stopped for a moment to think, before replying, "I think he slipped out without paying his bill while you lot were arguing." He calmly walked back to the bar and began to polish the rest of the scarred countertop. The other men started and looked around for the old man, but he was no longer in the inn.

* * *

Outside, the old man stood silently in the field. An ocean of tall grass ebbed in the breeze around him and the fireflies rivaled the stars. The horizon was nowhere in sight; he was surrounded by twinkling fairy lights. This frightened him. He wanted to run, but in what direction? There was no landmark on the earth or sky to follow. He was frozen in place.

"Al!" the old man turned. "Al, I've been looking for you!"

"Aima?" he asked tentatively. He squinted into the field and thought he could make out the shape of a girl walking towards him through the fireflies.

"Vio and Gin are here, too. They're not very happy." The figure was coming closer, and the old man thought he saw a glimmer of crimson hair.

"Vio is never happy," he replied, remembering the conversation they shared in this field so many years ago. "What do you want?" he asked as the shadow crept even closer.

Aima grabbed him and held a needle to his throat. "I want to dissect you," she replied cheerfully. The old man shivered; her hands were colder than ice. He tried to turn away, but he could not break free of the young girl's grip. She smiled wickedly as she lowered the needle to his chest, forced it through the muscle and skin, and guided it all of the way down to his waist. The last thing he saw was the girl soaked in his own blood.

* * *

The old man woke up with a shiver in the middle of the field. He searched the tall grass, but there was no sign that the girl, or anyone, had been there with him. He sat for a long time thinking about what he saw. He decided that it must have been a dream. Finally, he waded back through the tall grass towards the inn. He had had enough of fireflies for one lifetime.

* * *

A/N: _Did I leave it with no explanations and even more questions? Yes, yes I did. It's almost like the ending to Season 4..Sorry. I realized that I do have a Christmas special I wrote for a contest a while ago (before I even wrote this story) involving Aima. I can't decide if I should add it now, or wait until Christmas rolls around. I guess I'll just see what happens._

 _Best, RC_


	10. Christmas Special: Christmas Candy

A/N: _This is a Christmas Special I wrote for a RWBY writing contest last December, as I was writing the main story. Bomberguy789 requested that I post it now instead of waiting until Christmas rolls around again, so that's what I'm going to do. It takes place between the death of Aima's parents and the beginning of the hunt for the maiden._

Disclaimer: _This story has been previously published as The Hunters of the Maidens on RWBY Amino. The cover art was done by I3blacksun, who has given me permission to post it here and can be found on RWBY Amino. I do not own anything borrowed from RWBY, such as the Winter Maiden or the concept of semblances. If I did, this wouldn't be 'fanfiction' but a real sideplot._

* * *

 **The Maiden Hunters Christmas Special: Christmas Candy**

A young Mercury sulked as he walked along the long, dirt road. His mother had told him to get groceries, but he knew that they didn't need any. He hated being manipulated, but he didn't mind being out of the house. Marcus was in a terrible mood, throwing things and spitting vial insults. Mercury wondered what had his father in such foul spirits.

As he neared the town, he noticed that the streets were more crowded than usual. There were fairy lights up on every building and a large, decorated tree peeking out over the rooftops. Voices could be heard singing pleasant songs in the distance. Mercury felt himself relaxing, even smiling, as he ventured into the outskirts of the town. To the young boy, it seemed like a dream, or a fairy hideaway. A place of wonder and excitement.

"Mercury didn't mind that the townspeople were avoiding him. He ignored the woman in front of him when she crossed the street with her children as he approached. He was used to that kind of treatment. Most of the townspeople wouldn't even look in his direction. But instead of angering him like it usually did, he enjoyed the fact that he could walk through the streets at his leisure.

It was their fear that initially lead him to the girl. She was standing outside of a candy shop, looking at the assortment of sweets displayed in the window. Mercury approached the shop, but the girl didn't walk away. In fact, she looked up and smiled at him. Mercury froze. He didn't know what to do. He had never had a girl smile at him before, especially not one as cute as her. She wore a long, blood red cape that made her flawless white skin and dark eyes stand out. Her crimson hair was pulled back away from her face by a thin, black ribbon. Heat rose from his cheeks, and Mercury knew that he was blushing./p

He imagined how he must look to her, a poor boy wearing plain gray clothing and dirt on his face. He was suddenly aware that his pants were ripped in the knee and his coat was worn and stained. "What are you smiling about?" he remarked coldly, smirking at her to hide the pink coloration of his cheeks./p

He was surprised that the girl did not get angry. Instead, she reached out and gently moved his silver hair away from his face, revealing a large, purple bruise. She used her other hand to move the collar of her cape, revealing a ring of blue around her neck. "We match," she stated simply, dropping her arms and turning back to the candy shop.

Mercury didn't know how to respond. After staring at her for another minute, he turned back to the shop as well. He figured the money in his pocket and considered how much trouble he would be in for coming home emptyhanded. Finally, he turned back to the girl and asked, "Do you want some candy? I have enough money here to buy a few things, and I don't feel like eating by myself today."

The girl's face lit up in response and she replied, "I'd love some! Are you sure you want to share with me, though?" Mercury nodded his head and opened the door for her to walk in. "My name is Aima," the girl stated as she skipped into the shop.

"I'm Mercury," he replied politely. He was not used to so much conversation, but Aima didn't seem to mind. She chatted idly the entire time they were in the store. She even made small talk with the clerk as they checked out. Her cheery nature was contagious, and Mercury found himself talking as well. They each left the store with a bag of candy in one hand and cup of hot apple cider in the other. Aima hummed along with the singers as they walked through the crowded street towards the tall, decorated tree.

The two children stood out in the crowd of adults as the night set in. They found a nice, quiet corner in the town's square, opposite the chorus of singers. Mercury's presence ensured that they were not bothered by anyone out enjoying the festivities. The pair ate all of the candy and drank the warm cider and listened to the pleasant songs and admired the large tree glistening in a thousand fairy lights. Aima sang along to some of the songs with a lovely soprano that filled the space between them. Mercury told her every joke he knew, watching her eyes light up with laughter.

As the night wore on, the air got colder and the wind picked up, pushing the them closer together. Eventually, the singing ended and the townspeople returned to their homes. The square was silent and empty, except for the two children huddled under the large tree. Aima looked up at the moon and sighed, "I really should be getting home soon. My uncle will be angry that I stayed out this late." Mercury nodded, but neither child made a move to get up.

They sat together for a long time, but Mercury knew that it could not last. Finally, he stood up and lowered his hand. Aima took it and used it to guide herself up as well. She did not drop his hand. "We'll be leaving tomorrow morning. I don't think I'll ever get to see you again," she stated quietly. "I just wanted to…I want to thank you for sharing your candy."

"Don't thank me," Mercury replied, smiling. "I had fun." The girl was still holding his hand, and he began to wonder if she was ever going to let go. Suddenly, she leaned in and kissed the boy on the cheek. She turned and ran towards the inn before he could respond. Mercury was glad that she left so quickly. She didn't see that his face was bright red, practically glowing in the cold night.

He watched Aima run until she turned a corner and disappeared. Then, he began his trek back down the long, dirt road. He smiled and whistled the tunes from Aima's songs as he walked. Mercury knew what was waiting for him when he returned home late and emptyhanded, but at that moment he didn't care. The punishment would be worth it for his first and last Christmas celebration.


End file.
